I saw the physiatrist yesterday. I'm going to get aquatic PT twice a week (said I can ask for more if I want it) and he'll write me a Rx for regular PT if I want to do that too.

Also got a Rx for an right foot AFO (Ankle Foot Orthotic) that I have to go on tuesday to get measured for...and sacrifice my sneakers to. (oh well, I was going to buy new sneakers in a few months) They're going to have to drill holes in my right sneaker and from what the guy at the orthotic place said, its going to be made out of metal, not plastic. He said that he usually makes them out of plastic because they're lighter, but he said the physiatrist that I'm going to usually wants them out of metal.

I was hoping I could get an appointment today for the AFO but the stupid MS had the bad timing to do this at the end of the year and I'm stuck behind the crowd of everyone trying to get their stuff done before the end of the year.

I got the feeling the physiatrist still thinks that some of my problem is a physical problem from my back (a disc problem) and not an MS problem in the spine. He said no matter what's causing it, he would have Rx the steroids that the neuro gave me, and the PT that he's sending me to. Said that if the PT doesnt help, or if it doesnt clear up on it's own in a few weeks, he's going to do a couple of xrays of my back with me bending in certain directions since nothing but arthritic changes showed on the MRI (said the MRI only shows you in a resting position on your back, so xrays would show things with me standing and my back bent certain ways)

I hijacked my mom's rollator to go to a restaurant the other day, and also used it to go to the physiatrist yesterday. He was really happy to see me using my mom's rollator. Said I'd probably be safer with the rollator and the added benefit that there's a seat for me to sit on with it. I've been to two restaurants now with it, and both places they know me there. I kept getting questions from everyone. ("What happened to you??") After about the 10th person commented, I wanted to smack them with the rollator and wrap the thing around their heads.

Hope my new AFO will help. They said it takes about 3 days to make, so maybe I'll have it by next friday once I get measured on tuesday. Good thing I'm not attached to those sneakers.